Grain-cleaner



C. A. TORRENCE.v

GRAIN CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3. l9l9.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

C. A. TOHRENCE.

GRAIN CLEANER. APPLICATION mm SEPT- a, 1919.

1,373,685. Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6 If I ,7

afi' g/J 2a 46 49/ 7 I jio/ l I Q 4 C. A. TORRENCE.

GRAIN CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-3,1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

X Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

CHARLES ARGYLE TORRENGE, 0F WISNIPEGfMANITOBA, CANADA.

GRAIN-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed. September 3, 1919. Serial No. 321,402.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, UHARLns Acorns Torrance, of the city of: Winnipeg, in the llrovince of lvlanitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Grain-Cleaners, or which the following is the specification.

The invention relates to improvements in grain cleaners and particularly to what might be termed a super-cleaner as used with the ordinary grain cleaners such as shown and described in my copending application bearing Serial Number 225%,215, and filed May 13, 1918.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a large capacity cleaner which will receive the partially cleaned grain delivered from the ordinary cleaner and extract practically all the dirt, ch'ailand other undesirable light material and deliver clean grain, the percentage of dirt remaining being approximately one per cent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaner which will eiiect the above amount of cleaning in one passage of the grain through the machine.

1r iurther object of the invention is to construct the cleaner so that it can be very readily regulated to accommodate existing conditions.

A. further object is to construct a supercleaner which will effect the cleaning without requiring agitating or moving parts other than the controlling valves, the whole work being accomplished by the action of a wind blast operating in various chutes and by the provision of suitably positioned stationary screens in the chutes and valves controlling the blast.

With the above objects in view the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described. and later pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which lli e l is a side view of. the cleaner.

Fig. is a rear view oi the cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view centrally through the cleaner.

Fig. 4: is a vertical cross sectional view through the cleaner at X-l.. Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View through the delivery end of the teed spout.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through the feed spout and. looking toward the deflector, and Fi 7 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The cleaner is suitably mounted on an elevated platform 1 carried by corner legs 2 suitlbly reinforced by cross braces 3. On the platform I mount the cleaner which comprises a head chute 4L carried by side chutes 5 and 6 in the nature of legs, which side chutes are connected at the bottom by a cross blast chute 7. The blast chute opens on the under side to a hopper 8 which feeds to the clean grain spout 9.

10 represents a wind feed spout receiving the partially cleaned grain which for the sake of the present description is considered as wheat mixed with dust, dirt and chafi. The upper end of the feed spout flares at its point of connection with the head (see Fig. 5) and interiorly the said delivery end is divided by vertically disposed divisional plates or partitions 11 arranged to evenly spread the grain passing from the iced spout to the head. The head spout is more or less semi-circular in shape and it is fitted at the side remote from the reed spout with an outlet spout 12 connecting with a discharge pipe 13. A valve 14 is located at the juncture of the outlet spout 12 with the leg 6 and extends upwardly into the head, the said valve being carried by a valve rod 15 extending to the side of the casing and provided with an operating lever 16 which is associated with a pointer 17.

lntcriorily the head is provided with a screen 18 which completely crosses the head and is arched or bowed as best shown in Fig. 3. The upper part of the screen is continuous with the top of the head while the bottom is continuous with the lower wall of upper end of the side chute 5, the screen effecting a separation at this point and being arranged to carry the material caught by the screen around and down toward the side chute 5.

A rubber or similar resilient pad 19 is located at the lower side of the screen. 20 represents a blast chute extending angularly across between the side chutes 5 and 6 and 21 represents a valve extending upwardly within the chute 6 and carried by a valve rod 22 located at the juncture of the said chute with the blast chute 20. The

: in a downwardly inclined direction from the upper end of the side chute 5 to the blast chute 20 and 26 represents a continuation of the cleaning" chute from the other side of the blast chute 20 to a more or less central point directly above the blast chute 7 where it communicates with a vertically disposed distributer 27 opening to the chute 7 in a location directly above the hopper. lVithin the distributing pipe I locate two inwardly and downwardly inclining ledges 28 and 29 designed to collect and direct the material passing through the distributer and drop it on to a spreader30 from which it drops in two streams across the blast chute 7 into the hoppe 8.

The cleaning chute 25 is fitted with a lengthwise extending grain screen 31 which crosses the side chute 5 at the top and terminates at a baflie plate 32 extending into said cleaning chute and continuous with a drawotf spout 33 connecting with the dirt pipe 34. The screen is fitted at the upper end with a rubber or such like resilient strip 35. 36 represents a further grain screen extending lengthwise of the extension 26 of the cleaning chute and dividing it into upper and lowerparts, the under part delivering to the draw-off spout 37 which communicates with a dirt pipe 38. At the juncture of the extension 26 withthe blast chute 20 I have located a controlling valve 39 carried. by, a valve rod 40 which extends to the side of the chute and is fitted with a valve lever 41 and indicating pointer 42.

31 is a scalper screen of comparatively large mesh extending lengthwise of the cleaning chute 25 in a location above but entirely free of the screen 31. This screen is designed to catch the large material passing from the lower end of the screen 18 and permitting of the grain, smaller seeds and dust going through. The extension 26 is also supplied with a scalper screen 36 located in front of the screen 36. The scalper screens deliver to suitably positioned side chutes 31 and 36* located at the lower ends or" the said screens and delivering to the side. 7 The dirt pipes 34 and 38 are connected together and comunicate with a common dirt pipe 43 which leads to the floor and the said dirt pipe 43 is fitted with a screened portion 44 which allows the air to escape from the pipe without interferingwith the depositing at the bottom of the pipe of the dust, dirt, chait, etc., passing through.

The lower end of the side chute 5 opens to a dirt spout 45 and at the juncture of the dirt spout with the side chute in a location directly opposite the blast chute 7 I locate a screen 46 through which dust is blown out by the air blowing through the blast chute 7.

In order to prevent the exterior wind from blowing directly into the machine through the screen 46 I have connected a guard pipe 46 in the nature of an elbow swivelly to a collar 46 fastened to the side of the cleaner at the screen. A fairly tight friction joint is made so that the guard pipe will remain in whatever position it is put.

47 and 48 represent a pair of co-acting valves located in the blast chute 7 between the hopper and the side chute 6 and carried by valve stems 49 and 50 which extend to the side and are levers 51 and 52. The levers are connected by pivot links 53 and 54 attached to the upper end of a setting lever 55 pivoted at 56 to the side of the cleaner. v

The above arrangement allows me, by manipulating the valves 47 and 48, the free ends of which are directed toward the hopper and when manipulated increase or diminish the velocity and volume of the blast through the blast chute and across the hopper.

To the lever arms 16, 23 and 41 I connect distinct controlling levers 57 58 and 59 which pass downwardly to the side of the machine and have their lower ends arranged so that they can be locked in various positions. At the points where the blast chutes 20 and 7 open to the side chute 5 I locate deflectors 60 and 61 adapted to turn the dust and chatl downwardly and at the point where the distributer connects with the upper side of the screen 36 I insert a rubher or other resilient strip 62.

The pipe 13 herein before referred to connects with two spouts 63 and 64 which lead to the draw-off spouts 33 and 37.

I have found from experience that where the grain, dirt, chaff, etc, is being blown by a wind blast up a pipe such as 10 that there is a tendency for the heavy material to cling to the top side of the pipe. In order to distribute this material I have placed a deflector 65 in the upper end oi the delivery spout where it delivers to the head chute, the deflector presenting a plurality of inclined tongues 66 serving to direct the grain inwardly and downwardly and without interfering materially with the fullness of the air blast.

The above completes the description of the parts and in order to better understand it I will now describe the operation assuming that this super-cleaner has the feed spout 10 thereof receiving partially cleaned grain from a cleaner, such as disclosed in the application herein before referred to and that the said partially cleaned grain is delivered by an air blast of sufiicient intensity to operate the super-cleaner.

The iii-coming partially cleaned grain,

provided with operating 4 the lever 55, to open or close embodying say wheat and a percentage of dirt, dust, chaff, small weed seeds and such like, is carried up the spout 10 by the blast and enters the head chute, being deflected down by the deflector. In the head chute an'initial separation takes place, the wheat and larger material being caught and deflected by the screen and the other smaller material traveling through in the air blast which continues down the blast chute 20' and the side chute 6. The material caught by the screen is directed towardthe side chute 5 and encounters the screens 31 and 31 which effect a further separation, the large material being scalped out by the screen 31 and directed to the side chute 31 while the wheat and smaller material blows through to the screen 31 where the wheat and a certain amount of other material is caught by the screen and the rest, including dust, dirt, chaff and small seeds passes through the screen, part blowing down the side chute 5 and part down the lower half of the cleaning chute 25 where it is directed into the draw-oft spout 33 where it is eventually collected and led to the dirt pipe 48. The wheat, and whatever unclean material is with it, passes from the screen 31 directly across the chute 20 where it is subjected to the cross air blast through the chute and enters the extension 26.- considerable portion of the dust, dirt, chaff, etc., is blown out from the free running crossing wheat stream by the blast in the blast chute 20. A further. cleaning however is effected in the cleaning chute 26, the larger material being scalped off by the screen 36 and'led to the chute 36*, the wheat going through the scalping screen and being caught on the screen 36 while the remaining dirt, dust, small seeds, etc., pass through the screen 36 and are delivered to the draw-oft spout 37 and eventually to the dirt pipe 43. Y

The comparatively clean wheat dropping off the lower end of the screen 36 is initially collected together and then spread in the distributor and falls in two streams from the spreader 30 into the hopper 8 and in falling is subjected to a final cleaning air the pipe 6, and passing blast coming down 4.7 and L8 and through between the valves the blast chute 7.

The wheat entering the hopper is pracclean as I have found from actual experiment that there is not one per cent. of dirt in it. The dust, dirt and chait passing down the pipe 5 is delivered to any suitable location by the dirt chute 45 as is also any dirt and chafl' blown across the chute 7. By regulating the various valves I can accommodate this cleaner to the work in hand.

The valve 14. when manipulated affects the'strength of the blast in the head chute and by the use of it I am able to initially V carry off a great proportion of the chaff and light material by way of the. pipe 13' as the curved shapeof the head has. the effect of causing this light material tooling to the top side of the head and consequently be carried out through the spout l by the air blast. V j

The valve- 21 obviously controls the strength of the blast in the chutes 20 and 6 while the valve 39 besides controlling the blast through the chute 26 and the extension 26 also shortens or lengthens the distance which the grain has to jump in traveling from the lower end of the screen to the extension. In other words, if it is found under existing working conditions that wheat is being delivered down the blast chute 20 one can, by turning the valve 39 to the left in Fig. 3, shorten the distance between the tip of the valve and the end of the screen and in so doing be sure that all the wheat delivered off the end of the screen will be caught by the valve and delivered to the cleaning chute 26.

As herein before intimated the valves 47 and 48 control the intensity and point of application of the air blast passing through the chute 7 across the streams of grain falling from the distributer.

From the above it will be apparent that this machine cleans very thoroughly and without the aid of moving parts other than the controlling valves.

In connection with the above explanation I' may state that in actual practice thereis air blowing in all chutes and spouts when the machine is in operation, such air entering the cleaner through the feed spout 10 and being directed through the various parts of the cleaner in volume and intensity, depending on the setting of the valves.

I have found from actual experience that the, guard pipe 46 is quite valuable as it prevents the exterior wind from blowing directly in through the screen 46 and affecting the intensity of the cross blast in the machine.

To better understand this I. may state that I have operated a machine without this pipe and have found that in some cases the prevailing exterior winds would some times blow directly, in through the screen and materially affect the action of the blast. By providing this guard pipe I can turn it so that the prevailing wind cannot blow directly in through the screen 46. 7

What I claim as my invention is j 1. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine in combination, a wind feed spout for receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head chute receiving from the wind spout, vertically disposed side chutes connecting with the opposite ends of the head chute, a screen extending across the 130 head chute and designed to effect an initial separation of the grain and direct the separated grain toward one of .the side chutes, a blast chute connecting the lower ends of the side chutes, a spreader located above and delivering to the blast chute, a hopper located on the under side of the blast chute, means for leading the initially separated grain caught by the screen to the spreader, means for effecting a further cleaning of the grain in passage to the spreader and means for carrying off the material separated from the grain in passage.

2. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine in combination, a wind feed spout for receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head chute receiving from the wind spout, vertically disposed side chutes connecting with the opposite ends of the head chute, a screen extending across the head chute and designed to effect an initial separation of the grain and direct the separated grain toward one of the side chutes, a blast chute connecting the lower ends of the side chutes, a spreader located above and delivering to the blast chute, a hopper lo-' cated on the under side of the blast chute, a cleaning chute receiving the grain initially separated by the screen and delivering to the spreader, means for effecting a further cleaning of the grain in the cleaning chute and means for drawing off the material separated from the grain in the cleaning chute.

3. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine in combination, a wind feed spout receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head chute receiving from the feed spout, a cross screen Within the head for eiiecting an initial cleaning of the grain within the head, vertically disposed side chutes having their upper ends communi eating with the opposite ends of the head chute, a cross blast chute connecting the lower ends of the side chutes, a distributer located above and opening to the top side of the blast chute, a grain hopper opening to the under side of the blast chute and opposite the distributer, a cleaning chute receiving the grain separated by the screen and leading to the distributer means for effecting a further separation of the grain in passage through the cleaning chute, means for subjecting the grain in passage through the cleaning chute to a cross wind blast and while suspended in a free running stream and means for collecting the material separated from the grain in passage through the cleaning chute. v

4. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine, in combination, a wind feed spout re ceiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head chute receiving from the feed spout, and efiecting an initial cleaning of the grain within the head, side chutes having their upper ends communicating with the opposite ends of the head chute, a cross blast chute connecting the lower ends of the side chutes, a distributer opening to the top side of the blast chute, a grain hopper opening to the under side of the blast chute and opposite the distributer, a cleaning chute leading to the distributer,-an inclined blast chute extending between the side chutes and intersecting the cleaning chute and thereby dividing the cleaning chute into upperand lower parts, a screen extending lengthwise of the upper part of the cleaning chute and terminating short of the intersecting blastchute,anda screen extending lengthwise within the lower part of the cleaning chute.

'5. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine, in combination, a wind feed spout receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head chute receiving from the feed spout, and effecting an initial cleaning of the grain within the head, side chutes having their upper ends communicating with the opposite ends of the head chute, a cross blast chute connecting the lower ends of the side chutes, a distributer opening to the top side of the blast chute, a grain hopper opening to the under side of the blast chute and opposite the distributer, a cleaning chute leading to the distributer, an inclined blast chute extending between the side chutes and intersecting the cleaning chute and thereby dividing the cleaning chute into upper and lower parts, draw ofl spouts leading from the upper and lower parts of the cleaning chute, a valve located at the point of intersection of the blast chute with the cleaning chute, scalping screens disposed within the blast chute and means for carrying of]? material caught by the scalping screens. Q

6. In a gram cleaning machlne in combination, a blast chute, a distributer for delivering grain in falling streams across the blast chute, a hopper for catching the falling grain, a screen in the end of the blast chute toward-which the blast is directed and an adjustable guard pipe covering the screen.

7. In a grain cleaning machine in combination, a horizontally disposed blast chute, a'hopper opening to and located on the un-' der side of the chute, a grain distributer located on the top side of the chute opposite the hopper and constructed to feed the grain in falling streams across the blast chute, a valve located at one end of the blast chute for controlling the wind blast in the chute and through the falling grain, a screen at the other end of the blast chute and a bent guard pipe adjustably connected to theexterior of the machine at the screen.

8. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine, in combination a wind blast feed spout receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head spout receiving the grain from the Wind spout and eiiecting an initial separation or the gram, a cross blast chute for effecting a final separation of the grain positioned below the head spout, a hopper opening into said cross blast chute, and a plurality of chutes extending between the cross blast chute and the head spout for eil'ecting an intermediate separation of the grain.

9. In a wind operated grain cleaning machine, in combination, a Wind teed spout receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a head spout receiving "from the Wind spout and effecting an initial separation of the grain, a plurality of chutes receiving from the head spout and effecting an intermediate separation of the grain, a 'cross blast chute for effecting a final separation of the grain as it passes from the aforementioned chutes, and a plurality of valves controlling the passageways through said first mentioned chutes.

10. In a Wind operated grain cleaning machine, in combination a Wind blast feed spout receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a hopper designed to receive the grain after the cleaning operation, a plurality of chutes receiving the grain from the wind blast pipe under Wind pressure and adapted to efiect an initial and intermediate separation of the grain, and a cross blast chute acting upon the grain as it passes from the first-mentioned chutes to the hopper to effect a final separation.

11. In a Wind operated grain cleaning machine, a wind blast feed spout receiving and delivering the grain to be cleaned, a hopper designed to receive the grain after the cleaning operation, a head spout receiving from the Wind spout and effecting an initial separation of the grain, a plurality of intersecting chutes extending from the head spout to the hopper and designed to effect an intermediate separation of the grain, a cross blast chute between the first mentioned chutes and the hopper designed to effect a final separation of the grain prior to its passage to the hopper, a plurality of valves mounted at the intersection of certain of said first-mentioned chutes, and a plurality of separating screens mounted in certain of said chutes.

Signed at Vinnipeg this day of August, 1919. i 7

CHARLES ARGYLE TORRENGE. 

